


Hurt

by yeaka



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Blindness, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ficlet, M/M, Muteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:28:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21943642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: The whole team suffers status effects.
Relationships: Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 14
Kudos: 151





	Hurt

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own any Final Fantasy games or any of their contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

It’s a great relief to finally pull into a small outpost for the night, though it’s already well past dark and everything but the run-down motel is closed. The woman that normally waits out front with her cart of wares is long since gone, which is a terrible shame, given that they’re fresh out of remedies. Every single person in the Regalia is in sore need of an elixir. They’re all battered, bruised, cut up with no potions to use, plus newly burdened with status ailments that they didn’t even know existed. Every time Ignis tries to speak, no words come out, and Prompto’s similarly silenced. Noctis’ eyes are wide and sightless—Ignis can feel both of his trembling hands gripping the back of Ignis’ seat. Gladiolus got the worst of it—they have a frog strapped in at the back. Hopefully he’s keeping an eye on Noctis to make sure their blind prince doesn’t accidentally sit on him. 

Ignis pulls the car smoothly into the empty lot beside the motel, and Noctis’ breath audibly hitches when the engine dies. Ignis wants to tell him _it’s alright_ ; they’ve reached their destination, not derailed by another Iron Giant. But Ignis can’t say a word. That hurts him worst of all—being unable to reassure his prince when that prince most needs him. He and Prompto exchange looks, and then they’re climbing out of the car. Prompto reaches down to collect Gladiolus in his arms, and Ignis clasps Noctis’ shoulder. He wants to say _I’ll be right back,_ but can’t. Noctis breathes out a nervous, “Iggy?”

Ignis squeezes Noctis’ bicep. It’s the best that he can do. Then he drifts away, and Noctis turns towards him, following the sound of his movement. Ignis doesn’t go far. He keeps Noctis in his peripherals. There’s a little old lady behind the motel counter that looks up when Ignis arrives. He reads the sign above her, calculating the prices, and points to a single room with two double beds. She seems to understand his problem, or maybe thinks he’s naturally mute, because she takes it in stride and accepts the gil he slides over. He’s given a room key, and as soon as he’s able, he’s back at Noctis’ side. 

He has to help Noctis out of the car, even though it’s a movement Noctis has been through a thousand times. Ignis wills him to just hold out a little longer. As soon as he’s able, Ignis will secure remedies for all of them, even if it’ll deplete the very last of their funds. They simply can’t go on like this. It’s impractical, and worse, demoralizing. 

In the room, Prompto sets Gladiolus on the nightstand. There’s not much more they can do with him. It probably wouldn’t be wise to put him in the bed with a full grown human that could easily roll over and crush him. Usually, Ignis is the one to bunk with Gladiolus, leaving Noctis and Prompto to huddle up and play King’s Knight under their blankets, but this time, Ignis needs to stay with Noctis. He gestures at the other bed, trying to make Prompto understand. Prompto nods glumly and points to the washroom. Ignis acquiesces. He’ll save his shower for the morning, once he knows that Noctis can see again. 

Noctis clutches at him as Prompto wanders past. Noctis actually _flinches_ when the bathroom door swings shut. Ignis can’t imagine what it’s like for him. It must be so frightening to be swamped in total _darkness._ He knows that if it were him, he would adapt, would power on, because he’d need to stay strong for Noctis. But he’d easily give his own sight up for Noctis’. 

Noctis slowly turns in Ignis’ grasp, reaching out to pat his stomach, his side—Noctis feels his way into a proper hug. His arms wrap around Ignis’ middle and pull Ignis in, his head resting on Ignis’ chest. Ignis threads his fingers through Noctis’ dark hair and desperately wants to do _more_.

“Iggy,” Noctis whispers, so quiet that it’s almost drowned out by the sudden clank of rushing water through old pipes. “’M scared.” 

Ignis’ hand almost clenches into a fist. He can hear the strain in Noctis’ voice, how hard it was to admit that. Ignis should be able to comfort him, to soothe it all away. All Ignis can do is squeeze Noctis tighter. He presses his cheek against Noctis’ forehead and hopes Noctis knows that Ignis would never leave him. Even if this ailment becomes permanent, Ignis will help him through it every step of the way. Noctis mumbles against Ignis’ chest, “You are Ignis, right?”

Ignis sighs. His breath ruffles Noctis’ messy bangs. He reaches down to find Noctis’ hand and lifts it up, guiding it to cup his face—Noctis’ fingers tentatively explore his jaw and reach his glasses. That should be a dead give away, even if Noctis isn’t experienced enough to map the rest. He can feel Noctis relax with the confirmation. Noctis’ hand keeps searching, reaching the down-turned ends of Ignis’ lips. Noctis pats his mouth and mutters, like _Ignis_ is the one that needs comforting, “It’s okay. Just... just feeling you, it’s enough.”

Ignis squeezes him _so_ tight. It’s not enough. Even if Ignis could never speak again, he’d still be Noctis’ advisor in all matters—he’d carry a pen and paper or just type it out in his phone, but they can’t do that now. It makes him wonder if his phone has some sort of text-to-speech setting he can employ, but it won’t be the same. He tells himself it won’t last that long. They’ve had worse status effects before. They’ve all been burned, frozen over—even turned to stone. But they get through it because they’re _together_.

Ignis rakes back some of the black strands over Noctis’ eyes, and he presses a firm kiss against Noctis’ forehead. Gladiolus ribbits loudly. 

It reminds Ignis they’re not alone. Noctis actually snorts. Ignis is tempted to go knock on the bathroom door just to double check their fourth member is okay, but he wouldn’t be able to answer. 

Resigned, Ignis withdraws. Noctis keeps a vice-like grip on Ignis’ sides, so Ignis has to awkwardly shuffle him over to the bed. Then Ignis guides Noctis’ hands to it, and Noctis nods in understanding, awkwardly kicking out of his shoes and climbing under the blanket. 

He asks, as though there was every any doubt, “You’ll stay with me, right...?”

Ignis brings Noctis’ hand back to his cheek, so Noctis can feel him nodding. Noctis offers a broken smile. 

They climb into bed together. Noctis curls up in Ignis’ arms. Ignis leaves the light on until Prompto’s returned with wet hair. Gladiolus croaks a welcome. Then the darkness comes for all of them, and together, they hold out for the dawn.


End file.
